“Mandy and Scarlett, our EDG Rockstars, were more than lovely. They are fearless, smart, incredible women that inspired the pants off of me. I feel so lucky that for one night, I got to hang out with two everyday girls that can play a mean game of pinball, arm wrestle like champs, take shots of whiskey without a wince and give bear hugs that make you feel all warm and mushy inside.”

“The songs on "Country And Eastern" are full of alcohol, regret, and defiance, at once sly winkin' and pickup-truck ready, full throttle tavern-smoked vintage, loaded and brawlin'. Lead singer Mandy Allen is the Loretta Lynn of the trailerpark, full of kiss-offs and fuck-ups, a yowling yodel of a voice. Guitarist Adam Theroux slings off greasy fried chunks of country-seared chug-a-lug. The whole damn mess is the best diner skillet you ever had, flavored, of course, with a hearty dose of bourbon. . . This is the kind of band we wanna hear every damn night we're out at the bar, downing tall boys and long necks. Hell, this may be the best drinkin' record you'll hear all year.”

“When we checked in with Girl Haggard last summer, the band had just recruited guitarist/charismatic loon Hank Sinatra Jr. and planned to record a full-length debut, building on the demos “Providence and Bourbon” and “Hungover/Pissed Off” (both appear on Country and Eastern). Mission accomplished. On the duet “Drunk, Broke and In Love,” Hank and Mandy trade barbs as quarreling white-trash lovers, with Sinatra Jr firing off lines like, “You say get a job and I say shut up/Even Building 19 makes you piss in a cup.” But Allan remains the star, endearing even on a chorus like “I’m drunk, I’m pissed, and I’m coked up/and still pretty sure I love you” (“Pick Up Lines”). And on “Early and Often,” Allan informs her lame suitor, “You don’t know nothin’ about me or how to treat me right/A shot and a beer and a li’l pinball might help your chances tonight,” and sounds right at home with the shout-along chorus of “Take me to the E&O!”. . .”

“It’s hard not to find Girl Haggard endearing, with its obvious nod to music legend Merle and its particular brand of hard-drinking, punk-infused country music. Lead singer Mandy is convincing in the role of the outlaw cowgirl, and sells the songs of drinking and fighting with a visceral rawness that more evokes punk empress Exene Cervenka than it does country music’s more demure female royalty. As country goes, this is definitely a drop of the hard stuff.”

“Country and Eastern progresses into a couple of classic bad romance nuggets which find singer Mandy Allan channeling her inner Exene Cervenka on “Modern Lovers” and “Drunk, Broke, and in Love (TheHank Shuffle)”. . .when the fuzz tone stomp of “Early and Often” came blasting through the speakers, shit just got real!. . .“Early and Often” is a hell of a lot closer to The Cramps than anything that would be called Country Western, eastern, or central for that matter. The rhythm section of Aaron Jaehnig (bass) and John Hunter (drums) drop anchor on the beat and when I heard Theroux unleash those dirty Poison Ivy riffs, my eyes lit up like a fat kid at an all-you-can-eat buffet. . .Allan’s vocals sound gorgeous waltzing above the rhythm before exploding into the punk chant of I’m drunk, I’m pissed, and I’m coked up. . . After nearly two years of waiting for material from Girl Haggard, Country and Eastern is worth the wait! Good music for good whiskey drinking people”

“. . .the band combines an indie rock ethos with their honky-tonkin, whiskey-drinkin’ take on country music. I particularly like the lofi aspect of the band’s music. It somehow makes the band more real, more working class, and more authentic. . .”

“I seriously love this CD. It is a very quirky mix of the best of country with a splash of punk . . . This band takes what Exene and John Doe started twenty years ago, perfects it, then takes it into a whole new direction of greatness.”

“Adam Theroux on guitar was an experience much like a rock skipping across water. Fun, fast, all over the place and hitting every note perfectly until the inevitable end, when it sinks below the surface. Aaron Jaehning tears up the bass. I’m surprised this guy even has any finger tips left. He stands as a testament that not all bass players are converted guitarists . . . John Hunter on drums never misses a beat. He provides perfect, clean timing and patterns for the rest of the band to be able to play so many notes, so fast, it contributes to their overall solid live sound. Finally, Mandy Allan’s vocals are what set the band apart. She seems to invoke the spirits of Kathleen Hannah and Dolly Parton but in a way that makes it all her own. . .”